Sufficient stock of medicines available: Sadananda Gowda

There is sufficient stock of medicines available across the country and the public need not worry about it, Union Chemical and Fertiliser Minister D V Sadananda Gowda aid here on Friday.

Three major drugs, which is used to treat COVID-19 patients, Hydroxychloroquine, Paracetamol and Azithromycin, anti-biotic, tablets are available in sufficient quantity for domestic consumption, Gowda said here.

After keeping the domestic requirements, the government is exporting these drugs. The pharma companies increased the production of these drugs as there is enough quantity of API ( Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) available in the country. The Centre is closely monitoring the medicines production and is in touch with the pharma industry, he added.

India required 95 lakh Hydroxychloroquine tablets per month for domestic usage and we have stock for three months. Of the required 2.5 crore Azithromycin tablets per year, we have the capacity to produce 9.6 crore tablets in a year. Around 482 crore Paracetamol tablets readily available for domestic use, he said.

The government is working with the pharma industry for a smooth supply of the medicines all over the country in coordination with the postal department, either through special parcel trains or cargo flights.

The companies also ramping up the production of masks, sanitisers and personal protection equipment (PPE), he said.

He also said there is also sufficient stock of medicines in Jan Aushadhi medical stores across the country as the government has streamlined the supply chain.